8 Days Ngorongoro Crater & Serengeti Migration

Destinations visited: Tanzania, Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Arusha.

Under the vast blue skies of East Africa, which are painted with wisps of white clouds tinged pink and gold by the rising sun; the gems of Tanzania’s reserves offer prime Big 5game viewing.

Day to Day Itinerary:

• Days 1 – 2: Welcome to Arusha.
• Days 2 – 5: Ngorongoro Crater.
• Days 5 – 8: Time stands still in the Serengeti.

Days 1 – 2: Welcome to Arusha

Begin your East African sojourn at Arusha Coffee Lodge where you stay in the Plantation Room, hidden among the verdant rows of coffee bushes, studded with their cherry red beans. Arusha Coffee Lodge is set on a working farm and you are guaranteed the freshest cup of the finest coffee you can imagine.

You can also walk through the fields, inhaling the aroma, or learn more about the plant on the ‘Bean to Cup’ tour. For a relaxing start to your holiday, opt for a massage or treatment at Peaberries Therapies. The lodge was designed around the original farmhouse, which was built in the 1900s, and it echoes with the luxuries of bygone years.

Arusha is a popular spot to start or end the Tanzanian leg of a safari. Dominated by Mount Meru, it is a gateway to some of the country’s finest reserves. While here, visit Arusha National Park or some of the town’s highlights, like the thriving Maasai Market or the Tanzanite Museum, which is dedicated to the rare deep-blue precious stone found nowhere else in the world.

Days 2 – 5: An ancient world in the Ngorongoro crater

The next stop on your epic adventure is Lemala Ngorongoro, pitched in the midst of an ancient acacia forest on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. It is an intimate set-up in a less-visited part of the Ngorongoro Conservancy, next to the quiet Lemala access route. There are 12 tents in the camp, each offering privacy and intimacy – ideal for couples or honeymooners – and there are two tents for families with teens. Each is en suite, with a flush toilet and a bucket shower supplied with hot water. There is a generator but the 24-hour electricity is mostly solar, keeping the environmental impact as low as possible. The tents have gas heaters for the cooler nights.

In time-honoured safari tradition, dining and socializing is in the large mess tent, which offers a comfortable lounge and a bar. Lemala Ngorongoro boasts quick access to the crater and the game drives set off as early as 6.15am. This means no waiting at the gate and you are on the astonishing crater floor within 10 minutes. This early start also gives photographers the best light. Take an escorted walk with a Maasai guide and an armed ranger along the crater rim and through the forest for a more intimate exploration of the reserve.

The crater boasts some of the easiest and most rewarding game viewing in East Africa. This is Big 5 country, all contained in the world’s largest caldera. Game drives can last all day – sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife – especially the predators.

The area was declared a World Heritage Site in 1979. Based on fossil evidence, various hominid species have occupied the area for three million years. The Maasai pastoralists settled in the crater in the 1800s and today share their knowledge of the land with visitors.

Days 5 – 8: Time stands still on the Serengeti

Depending on the season, the last three nights of your safari are spent either at Lemala Ndutu in the crater or at Lemala Mara in the northern Serengeti. Ndutu has the ‘ultimate amphitheatre’ seats to the Wildebeest Migration, when more than a million gnu thunder across the plains in search of fresh grazing. The mobile camp is set up from November to April near the marsh in the Ngorongoro Crater. The calving season in February and March is a special time, when millions of calves are born. Africa’s predators are attracted by the young calves and hunts are not uncommon.

There are 12 tents, keeping the camp intimate and allowing you to immerse yourself in the wild. Each is en suite, with a flush toilet and bucket shower. Electricity is mostly solar, although there is a generator. A convivial mess tent has a lounge and bar, for those down times when stories need to be swapped. In the evening, there is a campfire for pre-dinner drinks, followed by dinner either in the mess tent or under the stars. Picnic breakfasts and lunches can be packed for day-long safaris. From July to October, the camp moves to Lemala Mara in the northern Serengeti to make the most of the migration further north. It is set on an isolated hill overlooking the plains: front-row seats to watch the herds cross the crocodile-infested Mara River.

Large Euclea trees lend their shade to your relaxation and you can gaze at unrivalled scenery, unplugged from the hustle and bustle of the 21st century. By the time you fly out of Kogatende to catch your connecting flights home, you will have experienced some of the most unforgettable sights and sounds of Tanzania, one of the world’s foremost safari destinations.

This marks the end of what we hope will be an adventurous trip- Thank you very much!!

Luggage

PLEASE be reminded that the luggage allowance on our inbound schedule flights is strictly 15KGS PER PERSON and that SOFT BAGS are highly recommended, if not essential. In light aircraft the baggage area and weight allowance is limited. Hard Samsonite type suitcases do not fit into the cargo compartment easily, if at all. Due to limited space available for storage in safari vehicles, we strongly recommend use soft duffle bags rather than hard suitcases.

Your contract

A binding contract will come into existence once Sun Africa Expeditions and yourself agree on the itinerary and quote provided for the same. The booking will then be considered confirmed when an invoice is issued. Your contract for the services chosen will be direct with the relevant supplier(s). Your supplier contact will be governed by the laws of the country in which the supplier is located and will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of that country.

Reservations, Payment and Deposits

When Sun Africa Expeditions has accepted your booking, the date of the confirmation invoice activates the terms and conditions of the contract. Confirmation of services is subject to payment of a non-refundable deposit of 15% of the total invoiced amount. The balance is to be paid not later than 30 days prior to commencement of the services. When bookings are made within 30 days prior to the departure date, full payment is required immediately on written confirmation.

All bookings are subject to availability at the time of booking and cannot be guaranteed except for scheduled departures.

Prices

Prices are quoted in US dollars. All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Should prices or costs from suppliers increase due to inflation, currency depreciation and fuel surcharges, then Sun Africa Expeditions will not have any other option than to pass on the same to you. All suppliers reserve the right to increase prices at any time of the year when costs increase outside the control of the supplier. Please note that when the clients’ itinerary overlaps two seasons, the price will be prorated over the two seasons.

Rates include but are not limited to the following services specified in the itinerary. Accommodation with meals, tours, transport, driver/guide, park entrance fees, hotel taxes and service charges.

Rates exclude (Unless otherwise specified), Medical Air Rescue services, Porter-age, domestic Air Charters, Visa fees, beverages, laundry, telephone calls, scheduled flights, gratuities and all expenses of personal nature.

NB: Flying doctor services are Optional at USD 25 per pax (Subject to change and vendor terms & conditions).

Child rate: – is only applicable to one or two children under 12 years sharing a room with 2 adults. In the case of 02 children sharing a room with parents, the two children will share a bed, as most hotels/lodges cannot accommodate a fourth bed. 01 child sharing a room with 01 adult will be charged full adult rate.

Single Room Policy

Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but the suppliers do not guarantee singles. Single rooms are scarce and cannot be guaranteed even if paid for at twin sole use rate. Where this occurs an appropriate refund will be made by the supplier to the client. Suppliers will only allow a maximum of 3 single rooms per group at a single room rate except for high end luxury camps where single rooms are limited to only 02 singles.

Cancellation Policy

Should you wish to cancel your confirmed booking, you must advise the company in writing.

Reservations that are cancelled, reduced in length of stay or reduced in numbers (hereinafter collectively called a CANCELLATION) are subject to Cancellation and No Show fees if cancelled within 30 days of the arrival date:

55 days to 41 days prior to arrival: 25%
40 days to 22 days prior to arrival: 35%
21 days to 15 days prior to arrival: 50%
14 days to 07 days prior to arrival: 65%
06 days to 03 days prior to arrival: 80%

Within 48 hours and after commencement of holiday: 100%. Once the holiday has commenced no refund will be made. The figures expressed are percentage of the total tour price.

Cancellation: Although it rarely happens, and Sun Africa Expeditions will do their utmost to avoid doing so. Sun Africa Expeditions must reserve the right to cancel tours and other arrangements. Where your holiday is cancelled (other than due to your default in payment) due to unavoidable circumstances beyond our control e.g. Natural disaster or over booking, Sun Africa Expeditions will offer you the choice of purchasing an alternative holiday.

Force Majeure

The expression “force majeure” means any event which the supplier(s) in question could not have foreseen or avoided even with all due care. Such events may include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, government action and all similar circumstances outside the suppliers’ control. In these circumstances the suppliers shall not be liable to pay any compensation or otherwise be responsible for any expenses or losses you incur where supplier is forced as a result to cancel, delay, curtail or change your holiday arrangements in any way or where the performance or prompt performance of the supplier’s contractual obligations is prevented or affected. Complaints

In the unlikely event that a tour member has a dispute whilst on safari this must immediately be brought to the attention (and put on record) of the local representative, Hotel, Lodge or Camp management. It is likely that the tour member’s complaint will be satisfactorily resolved there and then. If, however, this is not the case and the tour member wishes to pursue the matter on their return from safari, it is essential the complaint be communicated in writing to Sun Africa Expeditions within 21 days of the end of tour quoting tour reference, destination and departure date.

Responsibility of Sun Africa Expeditions

Sun Africa Expeditions acts only as the Agent for the suppliers and shall not in any event be liable for any negligence, breach of contract or acts of omission on the part of suppliers, their employees or any other Agent, it shall be the responsibility of all customers including (without limitations) Tour members, Tour Operators and Travel Agents, to read and familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of suppliers. Sun Africa Expeditions liability for its own negligence or breach of contract shall be limited to the Tour price.

Transportation

Safari Minibuses, Cars, Land Cruisers and coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. Sun Africa Expeditions reserves the right to employ services of sub-contractors. Multi-lingual driver guides are provided on request. For flying packages, clients will share vehicles with other guests booked at the hotel. For exclusive use, please check with Sun Africa Expeditions for supplements, which will be subject to availability.

Insurance

The hazards of travelling in Africa may inevitably rise to some risks and dangers. It is therefore a condition of booking that all tour members must have sufficient and appropriate travel insurance for the duration of their tour. Such insurance (which is not supplied by Sun Africa Expeditions) should fully cover all personal requirements including death, personal injury, medical expenses, and repatriation in the event of accident or illness, cancellation or curtailment of the tour members’ personal property.

Special Requests

Any special requests (e.g. for single rooms or particular diet) must be notified in writing when the booking is made. Whilst the supplier will endeavour to meet such requests they cannot be guaranteed and any failure to comply will not be a breach of contract.

Sun Africa Expeditions services include flight re-confirmation and airport assistance within Africa if clients are provided all services by Sun Africa Expeditions. In cases whereby Sun Africa Expeditions is providing part of the services and the clients have other arrangements of their own, then Sun Africa Expeditions will only reconfirm where forwarding address or contacts are provided.

Itineraries

Demand for safaris can be high and may lead to shortage of lodge/hotel accommodation. All bookings will be confirmed, but no occasions changes may be necessary. Hotels/Lodges/camps, here specifically named are given as an indication of the category and rooms may be reserved at similar lodges/ hotels/camps. We undertake to advise you of any changes known to us prior to departure, but the possibility of change without notice, must be acceptable when booking. Where ever possible we book rooms with private baths showers throughout on the basis of two persons sharing a double room. Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but neither single rooms nor rooms with private bath/shower can be guaranteed.

Safari minibuses cars, four wheel drive vehicles or coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. The right is reserved to employ the services of subcontractors. Multi-lingual chauffer/guides are provided. Occasional mechanical problems, changes of lodge or adverse road conditions may in turn lead to a change of routing or game viewing without prior notice being given. We reserve the right to offer substitutes of equal value or to cancel the operation of any tour. In practice, very few itineraries are affected but a little flexibility on your part will ensure the tour is unique and rewarding.

Website and Brochure Description

Descriptions of accommodation facilities and services in our brochures are shown in good faith, it is however possible that certain facilities or services may be unavailable or limited due to maintenance , adverse weather, local conditions, seasonal restrictions etc.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this website/e-brochure at the time of printing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore check all details of your holiday booking with your travel agent or supplier at the time of presentation.

The company cannot therefore accept responsibility for any information not contained in this brochure, being confirmed verbally by its staff or representatives unless subsequently reconfirmed in writing by the company.